WO 95/10516, published Apr. 20, 1995 and WO 97/23478, published Jul. 3, 1997 disclose tricyclic compounds useful for inhibiting farnesyl protein transferase.
WO 98/54966 published Dec. 10, 1998 discloses methods of treating cancer by administering at least two therapeutic agents selected from a group consisting of a compound which is an antineoplastic agent and a compound which is an inhibitor of prenyl-protein transferase (e.g., a farnesyl protein transferase inhibitor).
Farnesyl Protein Transferase (FPT) Inhibitors are known in the art, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,442 issued Feb. 23, 1999. Methods of treating proliferative diseases (e.g., cancers) by administering an FPT inhibitor in conjunction with an antineoplastic agent and/or radiation therapy are also known, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,757 issued Aug. 1, 2000.
Shih et al., “The farnesyl protein transferase inhibitor SCH66336 synergizes with taxanes in vitro and enhances their antitumor activity in vivo”, Cancer Chemother Pharmacol (2000) 46: 387-393 discloses a study of the combination of SCH 66336 with paclitaxel, and SCH 66336 with docetaxel on certain cancer cell lines.
WO 01/45740 published Jun. 28, 2001 discloses a method of treating cancer (breast cancer) comprising administering a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) and at least one farnesyl transferase inhibitor (FTI). FTI-277 is the exemplified FTI.
The WEB site http://www.osip.com/press/pr/07-25-01 discloses a press release of OSI Pharmaceuticals. The press release announces the initiation of a Phase III clinical trial evaluating the use of the epidermal growth factor inhibitor Tarceva (™) (OSI-774) in combination with Carboplatin (Paraplatin®) and Paclitaxel (Taxol®) for the treatment of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer.
The WEB site http://cancertrials.nci.nih.gov/types/lung/iressa12100.html in a disclosure posted Dec. 14, 2000 discloses the following list of open clinical trials for advanced (stage IIIB and IV) non-small cell lung cancer, from NCI's clinical trials database:                (1) phase III Randomized Study of ZD 1839 (IRESSA, an epidermal growth factor inhibitor) combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin in chemotherapy-naïve patients with Stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer; and        (2) phase III Randomized Study of ZD 1839 (IRESSA, an epidermal growth factor inhibitor) combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin in chemotherapy-naïve patients with Stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer.        
WO 01/56552 published Aug. 9, 2001 discloses the use of an FPT inhibitor for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for treating advanced breast cancer. The FPT inhibitor may be used in combination with one or more other treatments for advanced breast cancer especially endocrine therapy such as an antiestrogen agent such as an estrogen receptor antagonist (e.g., tamoxifen) or a selective estrogen receptor modulator or an aromatase inhibitor. Other anti-cancer agents which may be employed include, amongst others, platinum coordination compounds (such as cisplatin or carboplatin), taxanes (such as paclitaxel or docetaxel), anti-tumor nucleoside derivatives (such as gemcitabine), and HER2 antibodies (such as trastzumab).
WO 01/62234 published Aug. 30, 2001 discloses a method of treatment and dosing regimen for treating mammalian tumors by the discontinuous administration of a farnesyl transferase inhibitor over an abbreviated one to five day dosing schedule. Disclosed is a regimen wherein the farnesyl protein transferase inhibitor is administered over a one to five day period followed by at least two weeks without treatment. It is disclosed that in previous studies farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors have been shown to inhibit the growth of mammalian tumors when administered as a twice daily dosing schedule. It is further disclosed that the administration of a farnesyl protein transferase inhibitor in a single dose daily for one to five days produced a marked suppression of tumor growth lasting one to at least 21 days. It is also disclosed that the FTI may be used in combination with one or more other anti-cancer agents such as, platinum coordination compounds (e.g., cisplatin or carboplatin), taxane compounds (e.g., paclitaxel or docetaxel), anti-tumor nucleoside derivatives (e.g., gemcitabine), HER2 antibodies (e.g., trastzumab), and estrogen receptor antagonists or selective estrogen receptor modulators (e.g., tamoxifen).
WO 01/64199 published Sep. 7, 2001 discloses a combination of particular FPT inhibitors with taxane compounds (e.g., paclitaxel or docetaxel) useful in the treatment of cancer.
In view of the current interest in inhibitors of farnesyl protein transferase, a welcome contribution to the art would be compounds useful for the inhibition of farnesyl protein transferase. Such a contribution is provided by this invention.